Barry Trial Team Takes Third Place at ATLA Regional Competition
In early March, two teams representing Barry competed at the ATLA regional competition in Montgomery, Alabama. The ATLA competition is traditionally the most prestigious and the most hotly-contested competition of the year, to which schools send their best teams.

One team consisted of Heather Fleming and Brady Cobb (full-time advocates), and Jason Dorn and Dawn Ducarpe (witnesses). The other team included Heather Atkinson, Michael Kraynick, Dustin Nichols and Melisa Taylor, all of whom worked as both advocates and witnesses. Team members Stephen Maltezos and Lori Moore worked closely with the team as assistants.

The Atkinson, Kraynick, Nichols and Taylor team, most of whom (except Taylor) were competing for the first time, had a strong showing against an incredibly difficult draw. In their first two trials, they faced Cumberland and the University of Alabama, both of whom are consistent regional champions. Despite never having competed before, this team gave these powerhouses a difficult run, and lost by only the slimmest of margins - a total of 6 points from 6 different judges. They then rallied in their third trial and soundly defeated a team from the Birmingham School of Law, winning all three judges.

The team for which Fleming and Cobb acted as advocates had a very impressive run through the first round, winning all three trials (against FSU, Florida Coastal and Nova), and winning 8 out of 9 judges in those trials. After the first round, this team was seeded first in the region. They advanced to the semifinals, where they faced the University of Alabama team. Despite their absolutely stellar showing in every aspect of the match-up -- substantively, procedurally, technically and in their overall performance – Barry was unable to overcome the home-field advantage.

Throughout the weekend, the team received only the highest praise from a variety of participants in the competition, including other competitors, coaches, observers, local practitioners and sitting judges. The team was lauded for their talent, their skill, their knowledge, and their professionalism, and continued to enhance the developing reputation of Barry Law.

All of these students -- witnesses, assistants, and advocates alike -- devoted an enormous amount of time and energy preparing for this competition and are to be recognized for their dedication and efforts on behalf of the Trial Team and the Law School.

The ATLA competition team was coached by local attorneys Fermin Lopez and Chris Klemawesch, and assisted by Professor Mitch Frank. This success, like those that preceded it, speaks to the talent, dedication and hard work of our students. There are tremendous opportunities at Barry Law for students to learn the skills that define great lawyers. And there are faculty, practitioners and fellow students who are willing to spend countless hours teaching those skills. We applaud those who take advantage of these opportunities – in the classroom, during faculty office hours, through trial and moot court competitions, on law review, in clinics and externships, and in countless other ways.